Commentary I learned a lot about Canadian history when I was in Grade 6. Unfortunately, it had little to do with what happened during class. Rather, I came across an old discarded Canadian history textbook in our school library and started reading it during my breaks. It taught me far more about the history of our country than colouring title pages in the assigned workbooks, filling out simple worksheets, or working with other students on projects. What sparked my interest was the textbook author’s ability to interweave disparate aspects of Canada’s history in telling a comprehensive story about how our country came to be. I learned an awful lot about the interpersonal conflicts between the rulers of New France, the risky military decisions made by the British General James Wolfe, and the daring adventures of the coureurs des bois. To be clear, this textbook was far from perfect, something that …